Gerard Kennedy dead: Neighbours and The Flying Doctors dies after glittering career
They said in the statement: "Vale Gerard Kennedy. 1932 - 2025. An iconic Australian actor of many decades. Well-remembered by Prisoner fans for his portrayal as terrorist Al in The Wentworth Siege episodes."
Gerard's career spanned five decades. was best known for his roles on Underbelly and Division 4. He also featured on shows such as Country Practice, Blue Heelers and Neighbours.
He was also a two-time Gold Logie winner. He won the award for Most Popular Personality on Australian TV in successive years in 1971 and 1972. Other awards the trailblazer of Australia TV acquired included three Penguin Awards.
On the big screen, Gerard played roles in the likes of 2013 horror movie Wolf Creek 2 , while also taking on the part of Vince Colosimo in Fat Tony and Co.
His first role came playing the antagonist Kragg in 1967's Hunter. Such was his popularity, writers converted his character into the good guy following the departure of main character Tony Ward.
His portrayal in Division 4 as Detective Frank Banner saw him before one of the most recognisable faces on TV at the time.
His final acting appearance came 10 years ago in 2015. At the time, he featured in two episodes of Glitch on Australian TV channel ABC.
His the Flying Doctors co-star Liz Burch shared a sad message following the news of his death, simply writing: "Vale Gerard."
Former 2DayFM newsreader Geoff Field also shared a tribute to the actor. Taking to Facebook, he wrote: "RIP Gerard Kennedy who's died aged 93.
'He had many roles but I will always remember him as Detective Frank Banner in Division 4."
Fans also took to social media to share messages of condolence. On Twitter /X, one user wrote: "R.I.P. Gerard Kennedy (1932-2025). Thanks for the memories. My deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences to his family and friends."
Another added: "Sorry to hear of the passing of Gerard Kennedy, can still hear that dramatic theme of Division 4 and picture Frank Banner looking at his watch. Gee they were great shows back then. #valegerardkennedy"
A third said: "Incredible innings at 93, incredible actor. Thanks for the memories Gerard Kennedy. RIP," with a fourth adding: "Loved watching Gerard Kennedy, may he Rest In Peace."
Gerard is survived by his daughter Chrisanya.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
England rugby star 'choked out' cast member in unaired TV footage as full story emerges
England rugby star 'choked out' cast member in unaired TV footage as full story emerges The dual-code England star was appearing on SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins in 2021 Sam Burgess pretends to choke out Phil Tufnell as he explains how he hijacked a bus (Image: YouTube) Former England dual-code rugby international Sam Burgess has revealed how he once hijacked a bus on a TV show, choking out the driver in unaired footage. Burgess, who played for England in the 2015 World Cup, was competing on the second series of SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins back in 2021 when he ended up commandeering a mini-bus. The show, which first aired in the UK in 2015 before an Australian version was made in 2020, pits contestants against a shortened training course designed to simulate a condensed version of the actual United Kingdom Special Forces selection course. However, in Burgess, producers clearly got more than they bargained for as he gave those involved in the show a taste of their own medicine after hijacking a bus following one challenge. Appearing on the Stick to Cricket podcast with Phil Tufnell, Sir Alastair Cook, David Lloyd and Michael Vaughan, Burgess dove into great detail - even using Tufnell as a makeshift driver to show how he manufactured his escape as he left the former cricketers in raptures. "Yes, it's a true story," said Burgess when Vaughan asked if there was a story from the show involving a bus. "They took us away and it's a 15-day course. "20 might start and it's just who can get to the end, basically. We get to day 12 and there's only four or five people left on the show. Article continues below "Throughout the whole show, you're sleep deprived, food deprived, freezing cold. It's really hard graft. Each night, they might come in and talk to you before you go to bed. 'Listen, if you're captured, you should always try and escape, because the longer you're in captivity, the less chance of survival'. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "This is all sinking in my subconscious. The next day, we do this assault course for four or five hours. We're freezing cold, wet through. "Explosions go off and guns come in. They put hoods on you and tie you up. I felt like I was in a warzone. By this point, you feel like a zombie. "The training kicked in, what they've been teaching us over the last few weeks. I'm in a stressed position against the fence, with this woman kicking me in the shins. I'm thinking 'what is going on here'. "After about two hours in captivity, they've thrown us in a vehicle and are transporting us to another destination. They also said that on transportation is where you've got a great chance to escape, because it's generally someone low down the food chain - that's where you should attempt to escape. "So I've gone here's my chance. I've got a hood on and zip ties on my wrist. I'm so fired up because of that woman kicking me in the shins, I've popped the wrist straps. "We're on a bus that's moving. We're told we're on there with armed guys with guns so do not f*****g move. "So I've peeked through my hood and I see the other contestants. There's one guy driving, there's a camera man and one other guy. I think there's no guns on here. "I can take them. We're on a bit of a freeway. We're going about 100 km/h. I charge the bus and I get the guy at the front. I'm dishing him up. "It's no show in my head. I was convinced I was in Afghanistan. I was there in my head. This guy had an earpiece on but I ripped out his comms and get him under control. "I free one of my fellow contestants, John Steffensen, who is a sprinter." Burgess, who won the NRL title with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2014, then used Tufnell to show what he did to the bus driver. The panel were left stunned by Burgess, who continued his story. "I say 'don't you f*****g move'," said Burgess, stood behind the former England spinner. "I'm choking him and I say pull the van over now. "He's not saying a word. I start tugging the wheel and everyone's screaming. This guy didn't break character. "I say I'll put you to sleep. I say to John I'm going to choke him out. Handbrake on, keys out, he's out the vehicle as well as the other guy. I get in the front seat. The cameraman looks at me and I say you can get out as well." Ultimately, another contestant - former Australian athlete Jana Pittman - convinced Burgess to snap out of it, but not before he'd tried to find some food after nearly two weeks of brutal training. "I've then got the mini-bus, me and four other contestants," he continued. "I was starving. "I thought I'd go to KFC. But I had no money. I'm driving down the road, don't know where to go, but I'm free. I thought I'd completed the show. "I'm driving around and this vehicle comes towards us. It's definitely from the show. I took it on. They swerved off. I wanted to win. "There's a woman still on the show, Jana Pittman, amazing athlete. She said to me 'you've taken it a bit too far'. I came back into normal life. "I drove past a pub so I pulled in there. Within about 15 minutes, we were surrounded by six cars. Ant Middleton came back on the bus and they absolutely flogged us for about 12 hours. Article continues below "We lost two contestants that night. They never aired any part of that show because we weren't insured. None of it has been aired. "They loved it, though. They reckon it's the best escape story they've ever had."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie caught with cocaine during roadside stop in Bali claims he was set up by 'devil' woman
An Australian man who was allegedly caught with two bags of cocaine during a traffic stop in Bali has claimed he was framed by the woman accompanying him. Witnesses filmed the arrest of Nelson Philip James, 32, on June 11 in Pererenan, 13km west of Denpasar in the Indonesian holiday island's south. The Aussie from Lismore, in northern NSW, was initially pulled over for allegedly failing to wear a helmet while riding a motorbike. However, now-viral footage showed officers demanding he raised his hands so they could pat down his body as a female companion stood to the side. The video appeared to show Mr James repeatedly reaching into his pocket and retrieving two small plastic bags that appeared to contain a white substance, one of which he dropped. He initially told police the bag contained Panadol. 'No, no, no, no,' Mr James said. 'Try it, it's Panadol. Test it, it's Panadol.' Police allege the two plastic bags contained 0.85g of cocaine and 0.53g of MDMA. Mr James was escorted by police to the prosecutor's office in Badung on Wednesday. As he was led to the building, he told reporters he was being framed by the woman in his arrest footage. 'Watch the video, watch the video that it's been put in my pocket, that's how I feel about it. Watch the video, you see that it's put in my pocket,' Mr James said. When asked who put the alleged drugs in his pocket, he said: 'The girl that was with me.' Mr James then described the woman as 'the devil'. 'I'm not guilty,' he told reporters. The woman in the video has not been charged and Daily Mail does not suggest she is guilty of any wrongdoing. Mr James is expected to face trial at Denpasar District Court in the coming weeks. Prosecutors have dropped the most serious charge against him, related to drug trafficking, which could have seen him jailed for up to 20 years. Mr James now faces two charges for drug possession and abusing drugs for personal use. He faces a maximum of 12 years behind bars. During an earlier press conference, Badung police chief Arif Batubara claimed Mr James was 'acting nervous' during the police stop. 'During a traffic inspection on June 11, police were observing a traffic violation at the Pererenan area, Tanah Lot,' Batubara said. 'He was acting nervous and initially refused to show the documents. 'When asked again for his paperwork, he took out his hand and a plastic clip fell out of his pocket, but one plastic was still on his hand. 'Narcotic police team was then contacted. They did a follow-up to his villa but found nothing there. 'According to him, he bought the drugs in Ungasan on June 9. 'Details of the purchase are still being investigated.' Daily Mail has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Headlines: 'Nesting pigeon' and 'teen BMX champion'
Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Our pick of local website stories A prisoner died at HMP Bristol on Christmas Eve due to "unsafe healthcare", according to a new report. He showed symptoms of pneumonia, but was not referred to a nurse by a senior member of medical opening of a new zebra crossing in Bath was delayed by more than a month because of a nesting pigeon. The council had to wait for the bird to move on before they could trim back a University of Gloucestershire's new City Campus opens to the public on 13, from Salisbury, has been named as the eighth best BMX racer in the world following a championship contest in Denmark.A pub with a Grade II-listed roof is set to reopen again after being closed and used as a crime hotspot for years. Our top three from yesterday What to watch on social media A man from Yeovil who created a "web of lies" to defraud women out of thousands of pounds has been jailed.A woman from Weston-super-Mare had her dog mistakenly seized by police on Sunday after somebody reported it for a biting City Council activated its Severe Weather Protocol to provide emergency help for rough sleepers throughout the seized an illegal bike from a Deliveroo driver in Swindon. It will be destroyed, officers confirmed.
